2011 PRIA2 Partnership Grants

EPA’s PRIA2 Partnership Grants advance public-private partnerships that focus on Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and environmental stewardship efforts. The program reduces risk associated with pesticide use by demonstrating innovative IPM practices and through outreach and education. In 2011, three projects were selected for funding through an open, competitive process.

Michigan State University - Demonstration of Strip Cultivation to Reduce Herbicide Use in North-Central and North-Eastern Perennial Fruit Production, $141,343

Michigan State University will reduce or eliminate herbicide use in perennial fruit production through the demonstration and delivery of strip cultivation systemst. Specific objectives include:

optimizing project impact through delivery of project findings to apple and grape growers.

The anticipated outcomes of this project are:

a 75-100% reduction in herbicide use on perennial fruit farms that adopt strip cultivation; and

a potential to impact over 176,000 and 73,000 acres of tree fruit and vineyards in Michigan and the North Central/North Eastern regions, respectively.

University of Georgia - Developing an Integrated Management Program for the Environmentally and Economically Sustainable Control of Glyphosate-Resistant Palmer Amaranth in Conservation Tillage Cotton, $109,115

The University of Georgia will explore the use of cover crops and herbicide banding techniques for the control of glyphosate-resistant Palmer amaranth weed in conservation tillage cotton. The project has the following goals:

provide effective control of plum curculio with entomopathogenic nematodes in micro-climate controlled conditions;

develop composts that ensure maximum nematode efficacy;

test the impact of entomopathogenic nematodes on non-target soil arthropods; and

transfer technology to cherry and apple growers.

The anticipated outcomes of this grant project are:

increased Palmer amaranth control and crop yield, leading to improved farm profitability;

an increase in the number of growers employing conservation tillage for cotton production; and

Through this project, the University of California (Riverside) will develop ant control strategies that reduce pesticide use and prevent pesticide runoff into urban waterways. The project has the following goals:

reduce the use of pyrethroids by 75% from original practices in treating private homes
for Argentine ant infestations;

reduce the use of fipronil by 50% from original practices in treating private homes for Argentine ant infestations;

identify which pesticide formulations and application methods are most effective at
controlling ants while having the least amount of runoff to the street;

form an interactive partnership with PMPs (Pest Management Professionals) to
develop a successful business model that is effective in treating ant infestations while
reducing the amounts of pesticide used for control.

demonstrate that these IPM techniques are actually reducing pesticide runoff.

The anticipated outcomes of this grant project are:

at least 800 homes receive the treatment
that reduces the amount of bifenthrin used by 75% and the amount of fipronil used by
50%, compared with conventional routes and standard practices;